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HomeCOMPLETEDAlien Worlds: The Science of Exoplanet Discovery and Characterization

Alien Worlds: The Science of Exoplanet Discovery and Characterization

Course Description

In Alien World: The Science of Exoplanet Discovery and Characterizations, Professor Andrew West delves into the scientific quest for life beyond Earth, offering students a detailed examination of our solar system, NASA exploration, and the discovery of 500 planets orbiting the skies. This course was first taught via the edX platform in the fall of 2014 and again in the summer of 2015.

Learning objectives include:

  • How to use basic scientific tools to discover and characterize exoplanets.
  • A basic understanding of key concepts of astrophysics, including light, gravity, and motion.
  • The skills you need to understand your place in the universe.

 

Course Introduction Video

Course Instructor

Photo of Andrew West

Andrew West

Andrew West is a former Professor in the Department of Astronomy at Boston University (BU). West’s major research interests center around using low-mass stars to understand the structure and evolution of the Milky Way galaxy, the environments that host exoplanets, and various processes on the stars themselves. In 2013, he was awarded an NSF CAREER grant and a Cottrell Scholarship for his research and teaching endeavors, including his efforts to increase the diversity of Astronomy and other science fields. Professor West received the Gitner Award for Teaching Excellence from the College of Arts and Sciences at BU and was selected as a Scialog Fellow by the Research Corporation.

Professor West was supported in developing and teaching this course by Boston University graduate students Sadia Hoq, Brandon Harrison and Aurora Kesseli.

Partner

edX is the education movement for restless learners. Together with our founding partners Harvard and MIT, we’ve brought together over 35 million learners, the majority of top-ranked universities in the world, and industry-leading companies onto one online learning platform that supports learners at every stage. And we’re not stopping there—as a global nonprofit, we’re relentlessly pursuing our vision of a world where every learner can access education to unlock their potential, without the barriers of cost or location.

Projects

  • COMPLETED (24)
  • ONGOING (29)

Tags

Active Learning Digital Infrastructure Global Connection Lifelong Learning Mentoring & Advising MOOC Project-Based Learning

Course Information

  • Starts:May 31, 2017
  • Duration:6 weeks (Estimated 4-6 hours per week)

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Digital Learning & Innovation is available to help all Boston University faculty and academic leadership. Contact us at digital@bu.edu.

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